The Artist
by Laihi
Summary: Rogue finds that there is someone for everyone when she rescues a mutant with the ability to bring her words and art to life.


**"The Artist"**

**An X-Men Fanfic (Set after x-men 3)**

**Summary: Rogue finds that there is someone for everyone when she rescues a mutant with the ability to bring her words and art to life.**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own any of the X-Men characters, just my own characters and imagination.**

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**Chapter 1**

"How ya doing, kid?" the voice on the other end of the payphone.

"Not bad, though I stopped being a kid a long time ago, Logan," the young woman at the payphone said as she lit up a cigarette.

"Those things are bad for you," Logan said, ever the big brother to her.

"Look who's talking, but never mind that. I'm heading a little further south, and then I'll probably make my way back to you guys. Did those kids arrive at the mansion yet?" she asked.

"Yeah, a few hours ago. Twin shape shifters and a mute psychic, right?"

"Uh-huh, that's them. Be careful that Lily doesn't talk your head off. I'll check back in when I'm on my way back. Bye, Logan."

"Bye, Rogue."

The other line clicked dead, the Rogue took one last puff on her cigarette before putting in out. She brushed a few stray hairs from her face and went into the convenience store for another pack of cigarettes and something to munch on. The store gave her a weird look as he asked for her ID, but she was used to it. The white bangs against her dark red hair stood out, and though she had given thought to dyeing her hair, she never got around to it. She paid for her items, tightening up her leather gloves as she waited for her change.

Outside the store, she threw her things into the saddle bags of her Harley Davidson motorcycle, and cranked it up. The engine roared to life, and she made her way back onto the highway that was her home the past few years, ever since the return of her powers.

Her mind drifted back to that fateful day when her powers came back with a vengeance…

_Bobby dropped down to one knee right next to the fountain on the grounds of the mansion and Rouge couldn't believe her eyes. She waited all this time for someone to ask her the question he was about to ask right now._

"_Rouge…Marie…Will you marry me and make me the happiest frozen popsicle in the world?" he asked, opening the small jewelry box and revealing the beautiful golden ring inside._

"_Yes! I do, Bobby, I do!" she exclaimed as he slipped the ring on her bare hand. She felt a slight shock to her skin, but ignored it as he picked her up and swung her around, laughing as he pulled to him for a kiss._

_She felt wonderful, her life was now prefect, she was getting married to the woman of her dreams….wait a minute, woman? She pulled away from Bobby and screamed as he fell to the ground, passed out and barely breathing. She screamed and screamed, dropping to the ground sobbing. The mansion lit up and the first there was Kurt._

"_Vat happen, Rogue? " he asked as the others ran to where they were, Storm and Logan in the lead. Storm dropped to Bobby's side to check his vitals, but Logan was the one to look at her with the sorrow in his eyes._

"_Oh, Rogue…" he said. He went to her, throwing his jacket around her bare shoulders and leading her away from everyone._

_Days later, Kitty finally convinced Rogue to come out of the room and get something to eat after everyone was in bed. Rouge followed her to the large kitchen downstairs, where Logan was waiting._

"_Welcome back to the world of the living, kid," he said, popping open a beer from his personal stash. He tossed her a soda and invited her to sit across from him._

"_What do you want?" she said, dejectedly._

"_For you to quit hiding and rejoin the rest of us, Rogue. You're an X-man, or have you forgotten?"_

"_Leave me alone, Logan. I've been through enough the past few days, I don't need any bullshit from you," Rogue replied, getting up and walking towards the door._

"_Hey, wait, kid," Logan said. Rogue stopped and turned around and he tossed her a set of keys._

"_What's this?" Rogue asked._

"_A set of keys," Logan said, taking another swig of his beer._

"_No shit, Sherlock. Keys to what?" she asked._

"_Your Harley. Storm and I were talking about it and thought you needed some fresh air to clear out your head and get away from things for a while," he said. _

_Rogue looked at the keys , smiling for the first time in days, and walked over to Logan, giving him a big hug, careful not touch him with bare skin._

"_This means a lot to me. Thanks, Logan."_

"_No problem, Rogue. This is for ya, too," he said, pulling a leather backpack from behind the counter along with a wallet on a chain, "compliments of Kurt. Didn't know he was so good with computers…"_

_Rogue looked through the wallet and saw a fake id and social security card, along with a couple of credit cards and enough money to last for a while. In the backpack was a nice leather jacket , a full pair of light leather gloves, and a cell phone. She looked at Logan with tears in her eyes._

"_Thank you, thank you so much," She said._

"_Don't mention it. Just be safe, alright, and don't make me have to come hunt you down. I expect you to call at least once a week, got it?"_

"_I will, I promise. Thanks, Logan."_

"_Like I said, don't worry about it. Just go clear you head."_

That was three years ago.

Since then, Rogue had traveled the country from one end to the other, and back again. She rode with a biker group at one point, then traveled with a roaming carnival for several months. There were even a few times that she found a lone or runaway mutant that had nowhere to go and she helped them to get a bus or plane ticket back to the mansion (she now had quite a few little brothers and sisters). That was her main reason for going back to the mansion now. Her self-proclaimed little brothers and sisters were asking for her, and she felt comfortable enough to go back to them now. Bobby was no longer waiting for her there; he was engaged to a girl named Jubilee, and there was said to be plenty of sparks between them, according to Kitty. Rogue had her relay the message that she was happy for them and congratulations.

Rogue shook her head and looked at the GPS wired into her bike. She was hours away from her destination in Florida, a city along the coastline called Naples. She heard that the sky was beautiful at night at the beach, and she wanted to head over there before she started her way back to the mansion. It was the winter season in Florida, and her gloves and jacket wouldn't stand out much.

Four hours and a tank of gas later, she pulled into the parking lot of a bar down the road from the motel she was staying at that night. She called Logan to let him know where she was at, and after checking to make sure her wallet was in her back pocket and her cell phone was in the front pocket, she walked into the bar.

It was crowded inside, and she had to push her way through to find an open seat at the bar. She ordered a double shot of whiskey, downing it before looking to the stage where a woman in an evening gown sang one of those old-time songs. Rouge thought she had a good voice, if not a bit deep. As she finished her song, the crowd gave her a standing ovation, except for one drunk near the stage.

"Get you gay ass off the stage, mother fucker!" he yelled, making a grab for the woman. Rogue pushed her way to the front, slowly taking off her glove.

"Come on now, sugar. Why don't you leave the nice lady alone and I'll get you another drink," she said, grabbing him her gloved hand, distracting him long enough for the woman to get away. The woman mouthed her thanks as she went backstage. The drunken man looked back to the stage and back to Rogue.

"You let that fucker get away…" he said, trying to swing at Rogue. She grabbed his hand with her bare one, and it only took a few seconds to drain him enough to make him pass out.

The bouncers made their way through the crowd to pick up the drunken and carry him to a cab outside. One of the bartenders called her over to the bar.

"Cory said thanks for the help, and your next drink is on him," she told Rogue.

"Who's Cory?" Rogue asked.

"The woman you helped on stage," the bartender said.

"Oh," she said, not knowing what to say. The bartender just laughed.

"Let me guess, first time at a drag show?" she asked, getting Rogue another double shot of whiskey.

"I didn't even know it was a show, I'm just passing through," Rogue said.

"Where from?"

"Up north. I'll be heading back in s few days. Just wanted to go to the beach before heading back," Rogue said, remembering to put her glove back on.

"Well, I hope you have a safe ride back," she said, smiling before going to the other end of the bar to serve another customer.

--

Rogue watched a few more singers perform on stage before leaving the bar. She zipped up her jacket and headed out, walking straight to her motorcycle and cranking it up. Just as she was about to head out, she heard shouting from the alley beside the club. She turned her motorcycle off and headed over to it.

When she looked, there was a group of men hassling a woman, who shouted for someone to help her. Rogue ran up on the men, grabbing the first one and tossing him into the wall with a sickening thud. The other two advanced on her, and she got into her fighting stance, taking off her gloves. Out the corner of her eye, she saw the woman pick herself up off the ground and grab something out her purse, but she had no time to see what it was as the first man swung at her. Rogue dropped to the ground, kicking the legs from under both men. She jumped up and the woman, who she recognized as the bartender she met, tossed her something.

"Catch!" she yelled, and Rogue had no time to react as she caught the bull whip in her hand. Before she could even guess where t came from, she rounded it on the three men with reflexes that were trained and honed in the Danger Room at the mansion. It wasn't long before the men were running as fast as they could out of the alleyway. Rogue turned to the bartender, whose eyes were a softly glowing blue color.

"You alright, sugar?" she said, taking a step towards her. The bartender took a few steps back.

"I'm okay," she sad sheepishly, holding her head down, her midnight hair, hiding the eyes that were still glowing. Rogue put two and two together.

"You don't have to be afraid, hon. I'm a mutant, too."

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Laihi: Alright, First Chapter!!!!!! I'm trying to keep the creative juices flowing by working on a couple of stories at once. Please rate and review!!!


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